Spar Group realises muted sales growth in hard lockdown aftermath

DURBAN – The Spar Group in southern Africa felt the impact of the hard lockdowns and restrictions imposed to contain the spread of Covid-19 in the region, with sales improving a mere 4.8 percent during the 48 weeks to end August from 12.4 percent the prior year.

Spar said on Friday that its overall sales increased to R112.04 billion from R99.67bn last year.

It said the core Spar business recorded an 8.7 upswing in sales with like-for-like up 7.5 percent and internally measured price inflation increasing marginally to 4.6 percent.

It said the performance reflected the impact of the pandemic in the region.

“Turnover for the six months to end March had reported a 7.8 percent increase, while the subsequent five months – which almost exactly mirror the lockdown period – saw sales increase by 1 percent,” the group said.